I happen to be a connoisseur of the newly minted sub-genre of old or middle-aged actors appearing in films that are plainly beneath them. From the RED films to The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, there’s something so fun and warming about watching truly great performers in light action or romantic comedies, obviously enjoying the vacation.
The latest in this growing sub-genre is The Love Punch, featuring Emma Thompson and Pierce Brosnan as a divorced couple out to pull off a daring heist. When Richard (Brosnan) loses his employee pension fund after his firm is defrauded, he and ex-wife Kate (Thompson) head to Paris to confront the crooked French financier who took their nest egg. Discovering that the financier is about to be married, the pair concoct a scheme to steal his fiancee’s massive diamond necklace. Along for the ride are Jerry and Penelope (Timothy Spall and Celia Imrie).
The trailer for The Love Punch offers up exactly what you’d expect from such a plot: a light-hearted heist movie with romantic edges, as Richard and Kate begin to recall why they loved each other in the first place. While I doubt that this will win any awards, it looks like a totally enjoyable film featuring a foursome of talented and entertaining actors. Brosnan and Thompson seem to bounce well off each other, and are looking great into the bargain. My one concern might be some of the easy ‘middle-aged’ humor about muscle aches and using the bathroom frequently, but this cast can make even those kinds of jokes seem classy.
You can watch the latest trailer for The Love Punch below and let us know what you think about it in the comments. Are you willing to go along for the ride?
The Love Punch hits theatres in the UK on April 18. There is no U.S. release date as yet, but we’ll let you know as soon as we have one.
